Cocktail Parties, Straight Up!

"Cocktail Parties, Straight Up!" is the ideal book for hosts and hostesses who have full-time jobs, not full-time help and who want to entertain stylishly without hocking the family heirlooms or having a nervous breakdown. Sister team Lauren Purcell and Anne Purcell Grissinger's sophisticated yet down-to-earth style, reassuring tone, and truly practical advice reflect their 12 years of entertaining together in New York City, where they've thrown countless cocktail parties without caterers, decorators, or a big budget. "Cocktail Parties, Straight Up!" features 12 of the authors' successful, gently themed parties, each with delicious signature cocktails, a suggested menu with hors d'oeuvre recipes that can be made ahead, and foolproof ways to make sure your guests get into the swing of things. Plus, each chapter is full of helpful tips and tidbits that will help you navigate the finer points of throwing a successful cocktail party, from before the first guest arrives (there's a foolproof party timeline) until the last one leaves (you'll find tips for how to end a party gracefully). "Cocktail Parties, Straight Up!" is the ultimate blueprint for creating parties infused with satisfying conversation, genuine laughter, and a relaxed elegance and guaranteeing that hosts collect compliments at the door.

Lauren Purcell and Anne Purcell Grissinger are sociable Southern sisters who perfected their hostessing skills in New York City. Lauren is deputy editor of Self magazine. She has written about food, entertaining, and celebrities for various magazines and has appeared on several TV morning shows. Anne is a financial consultant. Find out more about their down-to-earth brand of entertaining at www.purcellsisters.com.